EDITOR, The Tribune
One hundred years ago, the 1920s, known as the roaring ‘20s, was a decade of prosperity in western society and western culture.
In the 1920s, during the era of prohibition of the manufacture and sale of alcohol in the United States, Nassau was a centre for rum running and profited substantially from revenues derived from that trade.
Though not spoken about loudly, some of New Providence’s most wealthy families can trace their wealth back to this period.
It is recorded that in 1926, American bootleggers blacklisted Bahamian bootleggers because Bahamians were doctoring the alcohol.
Bahamian bootleggers were making their own alcohol in the backyard and pouring the homemade moonshine into branded bottles. They were selling cheap imitation backyard liquor for the expensive high-end stuff and making a fortune.
Interestingly, in the 1920s, rum running brought in the big money.
Today, 100 years later, marijuana is being touted as the great green hope of the future.
It remains to be seen what the outcome will be.
Will legalisation stop the illegal trafficking and gang wars? Will the drug dealers sit idly by and watch their livelihoods be taken away without a fight?
Who will become wealthy from what is widely considered a nefarious trade?
Will it be the masses or a select few?
Questions and more questions.
Guess we’ll just have to wait and see.
ANTHONY PRATT
Nassau,
January 13, 2020.
Comments
Porcupine 4 years, 3 months ago
Actually Mr. Pratt, we don't have to wait and see. You are grouping apples and oranges. There are many countries in the world, and states in the U.S. that have effectively legalized marijuana. Take a look at them. Worse off than The Bahamas with are many many social problems? Certainly not. Understanding the racist history of the very beginning of prohibition of marijuana would be helpful. Understanding the realities of what marijuana is and why it is that we have the right to say what we ingest or smoke is another. I can understand regulating acceptable behaviour. If we were serious about that, we would simply ban alcohol and legalize marijuana immediately. Oh, but that might make sense and be a truly Christian act.
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